Review: AC Soul Symphony - Metamorphosis (Album) (Z Records)

Dave Lee (producer of a thousand aliases) seems to be in a pretty good position right now, he can do whatever he wants. Right now that thing is revisiting loads of great music and making it DJ-friendly.

Well, he’s been doing that for a while actually, but this project is slightly different—he’s not remixing, they’re recreations that incorporate live string and wind sections. Essentially, it’s him getting to MFSB some great tunes—including quite a few that they never played on. For example TV show themes (“Six Billion Dollar Man”), songs about Chicago (“Windy City Theme” —MFSB were legendary Philadelphia musicians who played on hits like “For The Love of Money”, “You Can’t Hide From Yourself” and of course “T.S.O.P. - The Sound of Philadelphia.”)

In with some wonderful covers are originals that totally fit in with the slightly retro-vibe. “Philly Avengers” & “AC Express” in particular tricked me—looking at the songwriters info, I was surprised by how many tunes Mr Lee wrote or had a hand in. Not because I had doubts about his skill, but because they so seamlessly fit in amongst classic material which, in his own words, was “orchestrated by some of the best who ever lived.”

I can unreservedly recommend this to anyone who enjoys soulful disco sounds—Barry White’s Love Unlimited Orchestra, Salsoul/MFSB and of course on of the other main inspirations, David Shire (whose “Manhattan Skyline” gets covered.)



Artist: AC Soul Symphony

Title: Metamorphosis

Release date: October 27, 2023

Label : Z Records

Catalog Number :  Zedd12369 LP / CD / Digital / Bandcamp   .

Review: TALC - De Gui Ding (The Reflex Revisions) (Wah Wah 45s)

 

I can remember Dom Servini being so excited about TALC when Wah Wah 45s first exposed the duo on the world.  It might have seemed like a lonely crusade at times but Dom’s quallity ears are the proof in the pudding as DJ cognoscenti such as Bill Brewster, Gilles Peterson, Ashley Beedle and Detroit legend Moodymann (‘Modern Sleepover Pt.2: Robot’s Return’ being on his “DJ Kicks” compilation) have all had their dancefloors covered in TALC. 

Not only that, this release has a vocal and instrumental overhaul by The Reflex that brought both version into a post Zapp disco with Hall’s Oats and Steely’s Dan. Really mesmerizing stuff and for the benefit of new fans there’s the original version of ‘De Gui Ding’.  Hard to believe that the original 'version' is the Michel Le Grand classic from the 60s.

And the aforementioned ‘Robots Return’ and ‘Modern Sleepover’ are now appropriately on a 12″ (nudge, nudge etc) which will be a collectors treasure as soon as its released: buy it on sight. Great artwork too!

“Absolutely loving the Reflex mixes. Will play with happiness!” Ashley Beedle (Heavy Disco, Afrikaanz On Marz, X-Press 2, UK)

Artist: TALC

Title: De Gui Ding (The Reflex Revisions)

Release date: 21st October, 2022

Label: Wah Wah 45s

Cat. No: WAH12046/WAH046DD

Format: 12" / Digital

Review: Mr Bird ft Greg Blackman - Over Again (Ramrock Records)

Once in a while a tune turns into a classic; even more rarely you know a tune has classic status from the very first play.  This is one of those occasions.

Make no mistake Mr Bird and Greg Blackman – with the aid of two genuine masters of the remix, Tom Moulton and Ashley Beedle – have crafted something very special indeed. “Over Again” is simply beautiful, a gentle masterpiece that oozes soul and Summer; if it was any more honeyed the bees would have claimed it back by now...

The original “Lo-fi Classics” version, previously available on digital from BBE, is genuinely great in itself (and always has been) but the Tom Moulton and Ashley Beedle reworks take it to an even higher level. It’s a matter of personal taste which one works the best for you (I love ‘em both!), but if it’s the Tom Moulton version you’re after, you’d best be quick – it’s vinyl only, and there are only 200 of them out there.

So – terrific song, great production / vocals and top notch reworks from the man who invented the art of the remix, and the man who’s done as much as anyone to redefine it. Sounds like an absolute monster to me.



Buy via Juno

Review: Lay-Far - How I Communicate (Local Talk)

It’s always a pleasure to see a favourite underground record label evolve from releasing the odd 12” or EP to becoming a fully-fledged ‘grown up’ imprint releasing artist albums. Sweden’s Local Talk is one such label, gaining an international following for its off-kilter releases from Kyodai, HNNY, Fred Everything and others. I’m glad to say they’ve extended their distinctive music policy to their first few long players too.

‘How I Communicate’ is the second album from Moskow’s Lay-Far, an artist who’s been heavily hyped by those in the know over the last couple of years. For once, the hype is entirely justified. Critics and stores will probably put this record on the same shelf with the likes of Todd Terje, Crazy P and other ‘disco crossover’ acts, but although there are undeniable similarities, I’d argue that this record is subtly and essentially different. Why? Because Lay-Far isn’t pulling any creative punches. While the other two acts mentioned have a tendency toward the saccharine which makes them the dance music equivalent of ‘gateway drugs’, Lay-Far has struck a near-perfect balance between accessibility and authenticity.

From the warm, string-laden musical hug of ‘Like The First Time’ which opens the record, through the jazzy broken-beat / House crossover ‘Slope’ featuring Ashley Beedle, to the low slung deepness of ‘Submerging’, this album really has breadth. Supplying enough melody and variation to (hopefully) please a more mainstream audience, whilst retaining enough repetition and groove to satisfy the heads, Lay-Far’s balanced and elegant offering should serve as a lesson to us all on the difficult craft of album-making.

'How I Communicate' is out now, so go get it.

Review: Inkswel - Super Foods Vol. 3 (BBE Music)

The final installment in prolific Australian producer Inkswel's 'Super Foods' album series, this LP features exclusive remixes of the tracks from the previous two records, as well as exclusive new material. Simple, soulful music over crunchy, chunky beats define Inkswel's sound; a sound which is swiftly earning him fans from across the musical spectrum.

Highlights for us have to be the brilliant Kid Sublime remix of 'Flashing Lights' and the head-nodding 'Applause' which features creative NY hip hoppers Scienz Of Life.

As the label put it: "Sitting somewhere between deep house, boogie, soul and electronica, Superfoods Vol.3 takes the listener on a mouth-watering journey from head-nod to dance-floor and back again, all cooked up expertly by your Chef Du Party, Inkswel."

Super Foods Vol. 3 is out now via iTunes

Review Weedyman - “Kananga’s Revenge” EP (Paper Recordings)

There’s more than an even chance that you’re well aware of Weedyman‘s re-edit work and an even better one that you have a few Paper Recordings releases - but the forthcoming “Kananga’s Revenge” EP (released April 2nd) is the first time they've appeared in public together.  And it’s one hell of a way to start a relationship.

As Weedyman tells it, the impetus behind this release was a desire to create new music by working in a different way;  lead track BMBJ started as an exercise in programming bongos from scratch with a distinctly “played by humans” feel .  What hasn't been fully revealed as yet is how it then grew into the deep, gorgeous and sure to be massive chugging disco/ house monster that it now is. And it’s definitely going to be huge.

Second cut “Ondo Ondo Anda” is a prime piece of compelling, hook filled and hypnotic house with naggingly familiar elements that somehow manages to add layer on layer without ever becoming crowded or losing its melodic feel.  It’s another excellent cut that practically demands to be played out immediately.

Which could also easily be said about both versions of the final tune “Feel It”, which comes in “Original” and “Leon Sweet Double Drop Remix” flavours. Weedyman’s original version marries warm pads and a bubbling bass line with intricate percussion to create a great mid tempo stepper that ramps up a level when the vocal sample hits, followed by a subtle acid burble that gradually comes to dominate as the other elements recede. Leon Sweet’s “Double Drop Remix” (what can he mean?) strips things back a bit, adding guitar chops and a funkier but breezy feel that leads to a more insistent but still gentle acid take over - it’s going to sound equally ace in the sun or towards the end of a long night.

Incidentally,  Weedyman says the initial idea to create all this came to him on a train journey, possibly influenced by “listening to some Underworld and early 90s Dub House disco”...  Given the fantastic result, is anyone else up for chipping in to buy him a season ticket and a shed load of compilations?

Weedyman “Kananga’s Revenge” EP – Paper Recordings is released April 2nd 2015

Review: DJ Spinna - The Sound Beyond Stars: The Essential Remixes (BBE Music)

Spinna was an icon of the indie hip-hop scene who switched rides on an early lap some way round the course of his DJ/production career, and, if he hasn’t yet reached the finishing-line, has accumulated trophies already in the form of some sizeable dance hits. The biggest of those, his mix of Shaun Escoffery’s ‘Days Like These’ is inexplicably not on either of the two lavish double albums (one track per side apart from LP 1, side C, which has two) this comes as, though it IS found on the CD. That early release (and its immediate predecessor, ‘Space Rider’ which was particularly big in New York) immediately put Spinna up there with the big boys in the world of house, and he’s stayed there pretty much ever since. If there’s a better vocal record in the last few years, I’d like to hear it (and please post it to me via this site)!
 
A high proportion of the material here is also vocal, but there are a couple of deeper, techier instrumental  tracks to spice up the vibes (and one of those, his Acid Power mix of Karizma ‘The power’ seems to be exclusive to the vinyl). Anyone who likes their house music rooted in the black American tradition will find much to enjoy here, but don’t expect four sides of gospel-style wailing. The original material is quite disparate, but there’s a marked tendency for Spinna to work with bands, and tracks that start out more ‘musical’ in the first place. A Spinna sound, grooving and funky, but never ‘hard’,  unites all the material here. A few personal favourites: Louie Vega with Raul Midon ‘A Better Day’, like sounding like a 21st century Jose Feliciano.; Fertile Ground, ‘Live In The Light’ –fierce, spiritual – and Tortured Soul ‘Why’, deep and dark. This is a well-deserved first retrospective for someone that’s helping to keep alive a vital strain of our dance music heritage.

The Sound Beyond Stars is available on vinyl, CD and MP3 directly from BBE
Or via iTunes

Review: DJ Oil - Phantom (BBE Music)

A quick look at Discogs tells us that DJ Oil previously had a solo album out a few years back on Discograph, which totally passed this writer by. When I wondered why I realised I had pretty much given up on the trip-hop genre, which was so ubiquitous through the ‘90s and noughties, but fell off the radar as it became ever more ‘ambient’ and unchallenging.  Well, this release should have said radar beeping furiously, because it’s anything but soporific mood music. DJ Oil has definitely put the ‘hop’ –hip-hop’s urban grittiness—back into trip-hop, while the trip is all about our lives now, more often a nightmare than a hazy escapist fantasy. This impression is conjured by his inventive use of rousing spoken-word passages, field recordings and an array of cool analogue and digital effects.

It turns out DJ Oil, Frenchman Lionel Corsini, was part of The Troublemakers, an acclaimed group who (uniquely) had albums out on both deep house label Guidance and legendary jazz label Blue Note. That tells you something of his affiliations to African-American music, and it’s this rootedness in that musical tradition that really sets this apart from other contemporary downtempo efforts.  It has more to do with James Brown, Fela Kuti and John Coltrane than  it does the chocolate-box confections that had seemed to sound the death-knell of the trip-hop genre (we won’t name names because we’re sure you’ve nodded off to them all yourselves), and it’s hard not to see the Black nationalist rhetoric  as also a coded commentary on contemporary France in the light of recent events. This will keep its place in my boxes alongside contemporary downtempo beat-makers as diverse and brilliant as Madlib, Nightmares On Wax, Fredric Galliano and Boards of Canada.

Buy now via at iTunes: geni.us/DJOilPhantom
CD / Vinyl at: www.bbemusic.com

Preview: pothOles - Hooni (Oh! Records Stockholm)

Fresh from his recent release on Roberto Rodriguez's 'Seranades' label, talented Finnish producer pothOles is back on Oh! Records with a pair of brand new tracks.

We've been fans of the mysterious Finn since day one, so it's fantastic to hear his sound developing in leaps and bounds. Title track 'Hooni' is a typically restrained, chilled slice of Suomi deep house, while 'Hatari' introduces a more insistent bassline and hypnotic groove.

With rumours of his own label launching soon, as well as tales of him recently being voted Helsinki's second sexiest man, one thing is for sure: watch out for pothOles!

The release is available now, exclusively on Beatport. Grab it HERE

Preview: Lonely Boy - Love Wanted (Dance:Revolt Recordings)

Dance:Revolt impressed us hugely last summer with their debut release from label boss Atnarko. Flash forward to April 8th 2013, and they're back with their second offering. We are delighted to announce that our minds have once again been truly blown by the music contained here. Quality over quantity is clearly going to be the watchword for this label, and with only two releases in the bag, it's already paying off.

The original track is a lovingly produced, retro-tinged, smooth and sultry number, with an irresistibly plaintive vocal hook.

From even the most cursory first listen, it's obvious that each remix has been carefully chosen by the label, making this one of the most balanced musical packages we've received in a very long time. There's truly a version for every occasion here, and all the artists have clearly been inspired to do their best work.

Standouts for us are the fragile and beautiful yet powerful Space Coast remix, as well as the driving yet deep Subtron version.

Love Wanted is released on April 8th - we suggest you go and buy it!

In the meantime, you can grab a sneak preview here:

Label and Artist Links:
www.dance-revolt.com
www.facebook.com/lonelyboymusic

Preview: Kurt & Russell - Looking For The Real Thing (Mr Kim's Records)

For our first pick of 2013, we'd like to introduce you to the enigmatic (and delightfully insane) Mr Kim. Five time shaolin kung fu karaoke champion, Mr Kim himself is peddling his own brand of 'Double Happiness Disco', and we are loving it!

Kurt & Russell's original track simply cannot fail to bring a smile to your face. Expertly treading the invisible line between dance and pop music, this is an incredibly catchy record, but somehow it manages to stay on the right side of cheese. If Crazy P and Daft Punk smoked a couple of joints and had a jam session, it might sound a little something like this. Sublime!

On remix duty, James Curd from Greenskeepers links up with Sidwho? (who also happens to play bass for the wonderful Empire of The Sun), with predictably brilliant results. Quirky club music is the best way we can sum it up, it's a proper winter warmer...

Australian Harris Robotis serves up a much deeper, late night version full up of atmosphere which is also tickling all the right spots. Finally Space Coast close out the package with a floaty, stripped down take on the original.

The EP is released on 22nd Jan 2013, and until then you can get a sneak preview right here: